5 Baby Sleep Strategies to Help Reclaim Your Nights!

Are you struggling with a baby who wakes up all throughout the night? Are you feeling desperate for a few hours of uninterrupted slumber? Need some tips to help your baby and your whole house sleep better?

One of the biggest challenges for many parents of young babies is waking up multiple times a night. It’s tough on your mind and your body. But when your baby gets a little older, it’s perfectly okay to say, “Enough!” When you and your baby are ready, there are strategies you can try for a better night’s sleep for you and your little one.

Ditch the pacifier: if your baby is waking at all hours desperate for a pacifier, you might be well served by ditching it. Once baby is 8 months, they should be able to find and return the pacifier on their own, so when you hear them crying, you can wait a bit to encourage that independence.

Play white noise: especially when baby is younger, introducing white noise to the sleeping environment can help get them to go and stay asleep. The womb is actually a pretty noisy place to live, and white noise helps recreate that familiar and comforting environment.

Don’t hang out: if you’re trying to get your baby to be a more independent sleeper, start by getting yourself out of the room faster. If you typically wait until they’re sound asleep before sneaking out, try leaving before they close their eyes. This can be a gradual process that teaches your baby to go to sleep on their own.

Also try leaving baby for a bit if they’re crying or longer if they’re babbling and playing. You might be pleasantly surprised that they go back to sleep on their own!

Cut back or stop nighttime feedings: if you think the only thing that gets your baby to sleep is a feeding, try lying them down for the night without a feed while drowsy but still awake. Going to sleep without feeding should help reduce or stop night feeds.

After six months, many babies can go without night feeds. If you think your baby is ready, address nighttime waking with another method and hopefully the waking will decrease.

Follow a sleep schedule: adjusting the sleep schedule as your baby develops doesn’t always happen naturally. Some babies sleep too long during their naps, making their nights much tougher on your. Check a few resources to see how many hours your baby should be sleeping during the day and night at their age and stick to a good schedule.

These are just a few of the many strategies that could help you and your baby sleep through the night. It doesn’t matter the gender, the issues are common to both. If you have questions about your baby boy or baby girl’s sleeping habits or patterns, give us a call. We have board certified, in practice for over 30 years, Ob/gyn doctors at our gender selection clinic. We have the answers you seek!